


Shining Silver Armour (I Once Was AU)

by shinosnipslip



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Angst, Death, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-19
Updated: 2019-02-19
Packaged: 2019-10-31 09:10:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17846549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shinosnipslip/pseuds/shinosnipslip
Summary: At the Temple of Mythal, when they encounter Samson's red templars, Gaius receives a deadly wound, suffering from the effects of the red lyrium encrusted blade. In their final battle against Samson, Adralan recalls an earlier conversation he had with the Hero of Ferelden back at the Ritual Tower in the Approach.





	Shining Silver Armour (I Once Was AU)

Adralan wasn’t ready, not for this fight. His bow felt too loose, his arrows felt like they’d penetrate nothing. Like his bow would suddenly get too taut and snap into two. His arms shook slightly as he pulled an arrow back, making sure to get it taut enough to shoot and hit his target where he wanted the arrow to fly. Letting it loose, he heard its screech through the air, that sweet  _thwack_  as it hit where he wanted it to go.

Looking to his left, Adralan spotted Gaius pop out from that damned smoke bomb again.  _Is that all you can do?_  Adralan remembered commenting on Gaius’ tactics out in the field, and specifically at the Ritual Tower.

His glowing blue sword was quickly matted with blood, his actions almost too quick for the elf’s eyes to follow. He was a trained hunter and he couldn’t keep up with a shem’s movements, much less one with the hulking armour worn by Grey Wardens.

 _Keep an eye out behind you, elf!_  He remembered Gaius’ demanding tone back at Caer Bronach. Turning, Adralan kicked away a Red Templar, jumping thereafter, and shooting an arrow off at him in mid-air. Landing on his left knee, he fired off one of his rare explosive arrows at a Templar attacking Gaius’ rear. He was otherwise occupied with defending himself from the ones that moved too swiftly for an arrow to hit.

Gaius’ blades met the monster’s own with a speed that seemed inhumane. He let out a grunt as one of the behemoths knocked him back, fortunately saving his life. Unfortunately, his blades left his hands, and he felt as if he was moving in a racing river headed downstream trying to get upstream. His ears were ringing, feeling a sudden sharp pain spike through his right arm. He wasn’t sure if he was screaming or not, the ringing getting worse.

Adralan’s head spiked towards Gaius, ignoring his own target, and began charging after the footsoldier that had pinned Gaius down, his throat raw as he grabbed his spare dagger, pushing it deep into the monster’s side. At first, the metal was only dented, but once the monster was on it’s side, Adralan’s blade found its mark several times over and over, twisting and turning the hilt, making sure the thing was dead.

Gaius’ arm felt numb, of all things, unable to feel his own fingers. He groaned out gasps as his left hand attempted to remove the blade from his shoulder. It stung his hand. Reacting to the grasp, the blade began to hold that sickly shade of red.  _Damn it…_  His movements, as he sat up, became erratic, seeming to make it worse.

“Hey-hey-hey, stop moving so wildly.” Dorian told the Warden, rushing to Gaius’ side, followed by Morrigan. Her eyebrows were knit together, a look Gaius had only seen once before. Dorian’s hands pressed against the wounds, waiting for Morrigan to grab the bandages, soaked as they may be, and wrap them tightly around his shoulder.

“I… I-I just need a poultice… I’ll be fine…” Gaius’ actions betrayed his words as shivers racked his body. His arm had been covered in his own blood. “How are…” He couldn’t finish his sentence before Morrigan hushed him.

“Just drink the poultice, Gaius.” Her words were silky, just as they always were. The knot between her eyebrows was all the proof he needed to know that she was worried.

“I’ll-I’ll be fine… Where are my swords…?”

“Right here, kid.” Bull handed Gaius his weapons, the glowing blue caked with dry blood. 

The group’s movement through the Temple of Mythal was slow, each member taking time to make sure Gaius was still following. His eyes felt heavy, feeling like if he were given a nice, warm bed, he’d fall asleep immediately and have difficulty waking up the next morning.

Gaius had difficulty keeping his eyes open that warm embrace of sleep drawing closer and closer to him. Swallowing the saliva that had formed in his mouth felt like a chore.

“Morrigan, will he be alright…?” Adralan’s words were quiet, yet still echoing throughout the abandoned temple.

Morrigan forced out a sigh. “I do not know. I’ve seen him arise through worse, the Archdemon being a prime example, but he had help. But… There is little my magic can do, little a simple potion can do.”  _The blade was covered in red lyrium. Who knows if he could fend it off long enough to finish this mission and get back to Skyhold?_

Eventually, Gaius’ actions quickened. It was sheer adrenaline, at this point, mixed with willpower.  _I need to get back to Skyhold. I need to say hello to my son. I will not abandon him again._

“Feeling better?” Bull asked Gaius, his speed still a tad slow, but gaining. The small gasps coming from his mouth weren’t helping with Bull’s confidence.

“A little, yes. Be better once we get back to Skyhold and have a few drinks.” He forced out a laugh, sensing Bull’s apprehension and trying to ease it with a joke. 

The rituals to get into the inner sanctum were enough to kill anyone. And after being ordered to stand still so that Adralan could effectively complete them without distraction, was mind numbing enough. The adrenaline began to slowly wear thin, and that throbbing pain came back to Gaius’ senses.  _I don’t have time to be wounded. This doesn’t bother me…_

After talking with the sentinel elves, the last of their kind, and being guided through the temple, it felt as if a day had passed before they made it to the Well of Sorrows. 

“Are you sure you want this, Morrigan?” Gaius asked as they walked down the steps. “What about Kieran?”  _What about us?_

“I have taught Kieran enough to protect himself,  _if_  the worst comes to pass.” Morrigan offered a curt reply. Gaius wished he could see through her just as she could see through him. A lot had changed in the past ten years since they’d last seen each other, yet this remained the same.

“Tell me we brought rope!” Samson’s voice bellowed.

“We… Should have some, ser.” A Red Templar responded, his voice shaking slightly.

Gaius’ mind was swirling as he held his blade once more. He was downright exhausted. He wanted to sleep for a week. His eyes shifted over towards the Red Lyrium rune Adralan held in his hand, using it to crush Samson’s armour. 

For a moment, Samson and Gaius held the same look. 

Gaius’ arms felt like lead as he held his position, waiting for a chance to attack. His arms moved on their own, his mind numb, his eyes making doubles, triples of the enemy, weapons stabbing air, stabbing enemies he thought he saw.  _Damn my mind, I’m losing it!_  

The Warden was gasping for air, the small cuts on his face, his arms stinging. He took a quick glance around, noticing that both Dorian and Bull had fallen. Gaius felt as if he was running on fumes, his lungs burning, aching. Like, another movement, and he’d be unable to move. 

His whole body jolted straight, feeling a new pain sprout from his back.

Adralan had a challenging time avoiding the blows that Samson was so effectively throwing. He dared a quick glance at his team. He cursed under his breath, unable and unwilling to believe that both Bull and Dorian were knocked unconscious. Once more, and it was hardly surprising, Gaius had vanished.

His eyes trailed across the bloody battlefield for too long, Samson’s sword finally finding an opening. 

 _I’m doomed!_  Adralan closed his eyes, waiting for the end, an end that never came.

A cough and a groan caused his eyes to open a slit, curious as to what made him stop.

“Gaius…” Adralan’s voice caught in his throat, spotting the fresh coat of blood dripping from the Red Lyrium encrusted blade. “N…”

“Get the…” Gaius gasped, grabbing hold of Samson’s armour, keeping him still. “Wake the others… Get out of here…” A violent cough racked his whole body. Samson attempted to escape the Warden’s grasp, but to no avail. Gaius had the grip of a dead man, and  _like hell_  was he going to let go. After a moment’s hesitation, Gaius spoke again, his voice slightly louder, sturdier. “Remember the ritual tower…? I.. saved Ferelden… I can save… my friend too…” That was prompting enough to get Adralan moving, tears slowly welling up in his eyes.

Adralan’s footwork hadn’t moved so fast in months, boots and socks completely soaked in this shallow pool, quickly waking Dorian and Bull up with a potion.

Gaius saw that Samson’s attention was completely on Adralan. Taking the initiative, he grabbed his spare dagger, shoving it deep into Samson’s gut. A wound meant to maim, seriously injure, but not kill. The look of utter shock on Samson’s face was enough for Gaius to form a bloody grin. 

He’d saved his friend, allowed him time to wake the others and get out of here. It was up to Adralan to finish.

“We’re both… going to hell… Samson…” Gaius croaked.  _I’m sorry, Morrigan._

Adralan ran up the steps, his feet halting as he saw Gaius still on the lower level, his blood running through the water, a grin on his face. Irony had hit hard as he lay still in the middle of this carnage, Samson unconscious at his feet, Gaius’ own eyes closed, hole through his heart. 

_Is that all you can do? Disappear at the most inopportune time?_

_No._ Gaius’ voice was as clear as fresh water.  _I saved Ferelden. I can save my friend too._

Gaius’ shining silver armour made an imprint on Adralan’s mind.

Shining silver armour caked with blood.

**Author's Note:**

> oof that was rough - but thanks for reading!! <3


End file.
